Surface mounted screw cap remover



March 9, 1954 c, w soN 2,671,362

SURFACE MOUNTED SCREW CAP REMOVER Filed Feb. 5, 1951 INVENTOR. Har/y 6 14 1/90 Patented Mar. 9, 1954 SURFACE MOUNTED SCREW CAP REMOVER Harry 0. Wilson,

to Robert H.

Sherman Oaks, Calif., assignor Clark, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application February 5, 1951, Serial No. 209,469 2 Claims. (01. 81-33) This invention is concerned with a device for operating container caps and it is a general object of the invention to provide a simple, practical, effective device or mechanism useful for the operation of container caps such as occur on bottles, jars, and other like containers.

Foods and the like are commonly marketed in containers such as bottles, glasses, jars, etc., and such containers are commonly provided with caps or closures that fall generally into two classes, those frictionally engaged or held in place as by crimping, and those which are screwed in place. In the case of friction caps or closures, removal can be effected by a prying action, Whereas, in the case of screw caps, difliculty is often experienced in removing them and without special equipment it is generally impossible to apply them with sufiicient force to assure a tight seal.

It is a general object of this invention to provide a device which is simple of construction and operation and which will serve to remove caps or closures of various kinds, such as have been hereinabove referred to.

Another object of thi invention is to provide a device of the general character referred to which is operable to easily and conveniently remove friction caps of various sizes.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the general character referred to in which a cap gripping mechanism is provided and is operable to securely hold a cap to facilitate removal thereof or to facilitate application thereof, as circumstances may require.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the general character referred to that will effectively hold or grip a cap or closure during operation of the device and which is such as to immediately and readily free the cap for removal following operation.

The device of the present invention is characterized by two elements shiftable relative to each other. One element is a frame and is preferably mounted on or applied to a support to be stationary. The frame may be advantageously fixed to the under side of a shelf or the like. The frame has a body with reinforcing flanges one of which is hook-shaped to provide a cap remover, while others are such as to guide or support caps that are to be removed by means of the hook structure. Legs project from the body of the frame and are divergent so that they present opposed shoulders and the construction is such that the shoulders are spaced below the surfac of the support and are of substantial length. The other element is an arm preferably pivoted to the body of the frame and extending therefrom to occur between the legs. The arm is shiftable between operating positions where it selectively engages the legs and when it is engaged with one leg it opposes the other to define a V-shaped socket into which a cap can be inserted. The relationship just described can be reversed by shifting the arm from one leg of the frame to the other. In accordance with the invention, when the arm is in either operating position it defines a V-shaped socket with angularly related opposed edges, one of which is toothed while the other is smooth. A handle is provided at the outer end portion of the arm and cooperates with the legs to lock the' arm against deflection when in operating position.

Th various objects and features of my invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description of a typical preferred form and application of the invention, throughout which description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the device provided by the present invention showing it on a typical support or shelf and in on Working position, a typical jar cap being shown in position ready to be removed. Fig. 2 is a view of the device shown in Fig. 1, taken as indicated by line 2-2 on Fig. 1 and showing a friction or crimped cap in the process of being removed. Fig. 3 is a view of the device taken as indicated by line 3-3 on Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the device taken as indicated by line 44 on Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the device taken as indicated by line 55 on Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the device in the opposite operating position. Fig. 7 is a view similar to a portion of Fig. 2 showing a jar cap in course of being removed.

The device of the present invention is applicable to a support such as a shelf S or the like, and in practice it is preferably fixed to the lower side ID of the shelf to remain permanently in position thereon. When the support is in the nature of a shelf having a forward edge II the device is so mounted on the bottom side H! of the shelf as to face forward or toward the edge I I, as clearly illustrated in the drawings.

The device provided by the invention involves, generally, two principal parts or elements, one a frame X and the other an arm Y. The elements X and Y are shiftable relative to each other and in the preferred form of the invention they are pivotally connected, as by means of a pivot pin l2. Further, in the preferred form of the invention one of the elements, say, for example, the frame X, is secured by mounting means I3 to the support S so that it is permanently fixed thereto. In the case illustrated, the mounting means involves a plurality of screw fasteners l4. With the frame element X thu mounted or fixed to the support the arm Y becomes the working or shiftable element, as will be apparent from the drawings.

In the preferred form of the invention illustrated in the drawings the frame element X is characterized by a body portion 20 and two legs 2| which are joined to and project from the body 2| so that they diverge forwardly from the body to be spaced a substantial distance apart at the foremost end of the device. The rearmost ends of the legs 2| are permanently joined or fixed to the body 20 in suitable spaced relation. The legs diverge as they extend forward to define a cap-receiving cavity, as will be apparent from examination of the drawings.

The legs 2| of the fram have opposed shoulders 23 that converge rearwardly, so that they are spaced a short distance apart where the legs join the body 20, while being a substantial distance apart at the foremost end of the structure. In the preferred form of the invention the shoulders 23 are straight and are of substantial length, it being preferred, in practice, to form them so that they are substantially coextensive with the legs. Further, in the preferred form of the invention, the legs are so formed that the shoulders 23 of the two legs are in a plane parallel with and spaced below the bottom ID of the support. In the particular construction illustrated each leg has a flat base portion '30, with a flange 3| projecting from the inner edge of the base portion to depend a suitable distance therefrom, and a lip 33 projects from the flange to establish the shoulder 23.

The body 26 is preferably in the form of a flat plate integrally connected to the legs 2| at the rear ends thereof and it is adapted to bear fiat against the bottom side 10 of the support S. The body may be elongate in form in which case the legs attach to its foremost end. stiffening or reinforcing flanges or ribs 35 are provided on and depend from the side edges of the body while a similar rib '35 depends from the rearmost end of the body. The rib 36 has a forwardly projecting ing or hook 31 that is spaced below the portion of the body that bears against the support |D far enough to allow a'bottle cap A, as shown in Fig. 2, to be engaged over it. The hook structure thus provided serves as tional frictionally held bottle cap can be readily removed from a bottle B 'or the like. In practice the lower edges 40 of the side ribs 35 may be shaped to form abutments against which the top of a large friction cap can be made to bear while the edge thereof is hooked over the leg 37. Through such construction a large cap may be held substantially horizontal 'while it is being removed. It is further to be observed'that the side ribs 35 may be so spaced, as shown in the drawings, as to serve as a guide for a cap A, as shown in Fig. 2, directing it into proper engagement with the hook structure hereinabove described.

Where the mounting means It involves screw fasteners 4 it is practical to apply such fasteners in the foreward end portions of the legs, as shown inTFig.3,and-to a tab struck from and projecting rearward beyond therear end portion of the body 2'|J. Inthis way the 'frame is held at three points and by reason of the s'tiifenedbody construction a means by which a conven- 4 and the leg formation above described the frame will remain rigid and fiat against the lower side ID of the support S.

The arm Y is preferably a, flat straight elongate element and is disposed in a plane parallel to that of the lower side ID of the support S. Where the arm Y is pivotally mounted or held by a pivot pin [2, as shown in the drawings, it is attached to the body 20 of the frame, preferably centrally thereof, and projects forwardly to occur between the legs 2| of the frame. With this construction the arm can be swung between operating positions where it cooperates with the legs of the frame to define cap-receiving sockets, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6 of the drawings. In the preferred construction the arm has two operating positions. In one position the arm engages one leg and cooperates with the other to define a cap-receiving socket, while in the other position it engages the said other leg and cooperates with the first mentioned leg to define a cap-receiving socket. In the preferred construction the arm Y is pivoted to the lower side of the body 28 and is thus spaced somewhat below the lower side It of the support S and the flange and lip construction of the legs is so related to the arm that when the arm is engaged with either leg it has an edge portion received beneath the lip of the leg, in which position it is stopped to extend substantially parallel with the leg, as shown in the drawings.

In accordance with the present invention a handle is provided at the foremost end of the Y and the handle has side notches 5| which receive the lips of the legs, with the result that when the arm is in either operating position it is so engaged with the lip of a leg as to be confined to that lip and against flexure. From the drawings it will be apparent how the lips of the leg cooperate with the notched handle construction to, in effect, lock "the outer end portion of the arm against vertical displacement when the arm is in either operating position.

The invention provides cap-gripping means, preferably in the form of teeth 60, so located that when a closure or cap is engaged in the device, as shown in Fig. 3 or as shown in Fig. 4, it is engaged by the teeth and thus held against rotation. The teeth 60 are provided in the structure so that only one edge defining a cap-receiving socket is toothed, with the result that, to cause gripping of the cap, the cap must be thrust in the direction indicated by the arrow 10 in Fig. 3, causing it to be frictionally held against a smooth edge while it is gripped by the tooth 6B occurring at the other or toothed edge. In the preferred form of the invention the teeth 66 are applied to or occur on the longitudinal edges of the arm Y while the edges or shoulders 23 which cooperate with the edges of the arm to define the.capreceiving sockets, are left smooth or plain, as shown throughout the drawings.

In the particular case illustrated the teeth 60 are shaped or formed to face somewhat inwardly or rearwardly. Further, as shown in the dra'. ings, the teeth may be fine sharp teeth shaped to face in a manner to'be highly effective in gripping caps applied to the device. In theparticularcase illustrated the teeth are shaped or faced to point somewhat rearwardly, to be highly effective, as will be apparent from examination of Figs. 3 and 6 of the drawings. By forming the structure so that the shoulders or edges '23 of the frame are straight andsmooth, while the gripping teeth are confined to the 'armY, it is possible to form the arm of a material which lends itself to being provided with hard or shar teeth, or the toothed portion of the structure may be hardened by simply hardening the arm Y, which is a simple small part.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that when the arm is positioned as shown in Fig. 3, a cap, say for instance a jar top C, can be removed, as shown in the drawings, by being thrust in the direction indicated by the arrow 70, with the result that the top C is held while the jar can be easily rotated, thus causing the top to be unscrewed from the jar. If it is desired to apply a top tightly to a jar, or the like, the arm is swung to a position such as is shown in Fig. 6, and while the cap is thrust tight into the V-shaped socket formed by the device the jar can be rotated relative to the cap which is held against rotation by the device, with the result that the cap is tightly applied to the jar.

From examination of the drawings it will be apparent that the device that I have provided involves few and simple parts. It is easy, safe, and convenient to operate, and it can be used with equal success on caps of various sizes or diameters and either to remove a cap from or to apply a cap to a container such as a jar, bottle, or the like.

Having described only a typical preferred form and application of my invention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details herein set forth, but Wish to reserve to myself any variations or modifications that may appear to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the following claims:

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A cap handling device applicable to the bottom of a horizontal support including, a rigid frame having a body and legs connected to and diverging from the body, the body having a part H to receive a fastener for fixing the frame to the support, and an arm pivoted to the body on a fixed axis and operating between the legs to selectively define cap receiving sockets between the arm and one leg of the frame, the inner edges of the legs having lips spaced below the support and establishing socket forming edges and the arm having edges engageable over the lips of the legs and having a handle at its outer end projecting down therefrom to a point below the lips and engageable under either of the lips when an edge of the arm is engaged over it.

2. A cap handling device applicable to the bottom of a horizontal support including, a rigid frame having a body and legs connected to and diverging from the body, the body having a part to receive a fastener for fixing the frame to the support, and an arm pivoted to the body on a fixed axis to swing relative thereto between the legs and to selectively cooperate therewith and define substantially V-shaped ca receiving sockets, the inner portions of the legs having lips thereon spaced below the support, the edges of the arm being engageable over the lips of the legs and the arm having a handle at its outer end projecting down therefrom to a point below the lips and engageable under the lips, the arm having toothed socket defining edges.

HARRY C. WILSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 340,393 Weller Apr. 20, 1886 802,018 OBrien Oct. 1'7, 1905 1,913,535 Cressey June 13, 1933 2,431,550 Gary Nov. 25, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 614,982 Great Britain Dec. 30, 1948 617,732 Great Britain Feb. 10, 1949 

